Elevator systems require electronic components to control the desired operation of the elevator system. Drive and power electronics are used to control the power supplied to the elevator machine and the way in which the machine causes the elevator car to move. Control electronics are also used for inspection and maintenance procedures and passenger assistance such as emergency rescue operations. For many years such control electronics were kept in a machine room outside of the hoistway. More recently, it has become desirable to provide machine roomless elevator systems to eliminate the space requirements for providing a separate machine room. While there are advantages to such arrangements, they present new challenges.
One challenge associated with eliminating the machine room is finding a suitable location for the control electronics of the elevator system. Various approaches have been suggested. One approach shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,594 includes supporting a control arrangement at the location of a doorframe for a hoistway door. The arrangement of that document includes an opening toward the interior of a hoistway and another opening facing outside the hoistway. The opening facing the inside of the hoistway is larger than the other to provide access to the control arrangement for a technician located in the hoistway. It is desirable to eliminate or minimize the amount of time an individual needs to be inside the hoistway for maintenance, inspection or other reasons. Another arrangement is shown in the Published Application WO 03/072478. That arrangement has the drawback of significantly increasing the size of a door surround.